Metal wheel for elastic tires



Sept. 11, 1928. y 1,683,700

' c. scHrsNcKV ET AL METAL WHEEL FOR ELAsTxc TIRES l LL 1 Patented Sept. 11,'v 1928.

iUNITED `STATI-:s-

CIIARLES SGHENCKAND LEWIS FINE, 0F

vPATENT OFFICE.

BETHLEHEM, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNORS TO BETHLEHEM STEEL COMPANY, OF BETHLEHEM, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORA-` TION 0F PENNSYLVANIA.

METAL WHEEL FOR ELASTIC TIRES.

Application led .Tune 17,

\ elastic tires, the construction consisting of a hub. a web portion, and a'rini secured directly to the periphery of the web portion, The rim is made in complementary annular portions, one of which is fixed to the web portion while the other is detachable, whereby a tire may be readily mounted and dcmounted. This arrangement of rim is peculiarly suitable for pneumatic tires for the reason that it is not necessary to force' the inner tube over an outwardly-extending flange part of the rim. Our invention also consists vin the arrangement and construction of parts, which we shallhereinafter describe and claim.

Referring to the preferred form of our invention shownin Figs. l, 2 and 8, we have a rim indicated as being made in two annular portions 2 and 3, the annular portion 2 being fixed to the web portion 5 of the wheel while the annular rim portion 8 is detachable. The annular rim portions 2 and Slare, respectively, provided with outwardly-extending iange parts 2a and 3, with vbase parts 2b and Bband with inwardly-extending Harige i parts 2c and 3c, the fiange parts 2c being sep cured tothe web portion 5 by any suitable means, as, for example, by rivets 4. l

The basepart 2b has al laterally-extendin i 'annularliange or shoulder 6 which is lappe by a complementary i laterally-extending flange or shoulder 7 on thebase part 3". The web portion isengaged peripherally by the flange 6, whereby the rivets 4 are relieved of vertical shearing stresses.

Each rim portion has riveted or otherwise Secured upon itsy inner face a plurality of metal sleeves 8 arranged as close to the rim as is practicable and having bearings for the heads and nuts of the bolts 9. The sleeves 8 act to reinforce the rim, and because of their closeness to the rim, the moments of forces applied laterally by atire to the rim with respectto the axes of the bolts is minimized, whereby stresses in the bolts 9 are lessened..V Furthermore, by providingv sleeves on the 1920. Serial No. 389,757.

base part 3l exten ding to the outer edge thereof, it is possible to have the nuts for the bolts 9 disposed beyond the base of the tire channel,

whereby, as the nuts may extend beyond the inner surface of the rim and laterally ofthe latter, bolts of suitable size may be used and l'such bolts may be located quite near to the inner surface of the rim. In addition, the arrangement of the sleeves to extend approximately for the full width of the rim at the base of the tire seatingr channel l0 renders the holtheads and nuts convenient of access.

The valve opening 11 is centered approximately on the line of division of the two parts of the rim, `cachot which has a semi-circucular complementary recess l2 for the valve, while the web 5 is cut away at 13 to prevent interference therewith.

In puttingl on or replacing' a tire, the nuts on the-bolts 9 are removed and the rim portion 8 and the sleeves 8 attached thereto are removed bodily. When the tire has been put in place inthe tire channel l0 the rim portion 3 is restored to its original position with the shoulder 7 resting upon and supported'by the shoulder 6, and the sleeves 8 attached to the part 3 are slid over the bolts 9 protruding from the corresponding sleeves 8 attached to the part'2. The nuts are then applied, thus completing the assembly of the wheel.

It is not necessary to remove the bolts 9 during the replacement of the tire and these may be held in position by means ofthe eotter keys 14.

It will be seen that the arrangement that we have described not only provides a form of .rim which may be conveniently assembled and permits the easy removal or replacement of a tire, but by reason of the interlock between the rim parts it provides a structure which relieves the securing bolts from strain, inasmuch as the shearing strain` is taken up directly in the center of the wheel by the' complementary shoulders 6 and ,7.

In Fig. 4 we have shown a modified form of thereof, but recognize that various structural modifications are possible within the scope of the invention claimed.

Vhat we claim is:

1. In a metal wheel, the combination of a web Jortion, a fixed annular rim portion having Aias-e and outwarflly-cxtending Harige parts and the base part heilig secured directly to the web portion, a detachable rirnl portion complementary' tothe fixed riin portion and having base and outwardly-extending fiange parts, the outwardly-extending flange lparts of said rim portions forming a tire-receivin channel, means secured to the inner faces o the base arts of said rim portions to provide bolt-reeewing openings and said means secured to the base part of the detachable rim portion providing openings extending substantially to the outer edge of the latter base part, bolts extending through said openings with their threaded ends protruding from the openings in the detachable rim port-ion, nuts engaging the threaded ends of said bolts for holding the rim portions together, said lease parts having portions which overlap eircuinfcrcntially for relieving the bolts ot' vertical shearing stresses.

2. In a metal Wheel, the combination of a web portion, a fixed annular ri1n portion having base and` outwardly-extendingV fiange parts, means foisecuring the fixed annular rim portion to the web portion, the base part of said fixed annular rim portion having an annular shoulder for peripherally engaging the web portion in order to relieve the securing means of vertical shearing stresses, a detachable rim portion complementary to the lixed rim portion 'and having base and outwarilly-extending flange parts, the outwardly-extending flange parts of said rim portions forming a .tire-receiving channel, and

boltsl cooperating with the base parts for securingtlle detachable rim portion in place the web portion, the base part of said with respect. to the fixed rim portion,fsaid b ase parts having portions which overlap ciroum'ferentiall fon relieving the bolts of vertical shearin stresses.

3. In a metal W eel, the combination of a ing )ase and outwardly and inwardly-extendino' flange 'pai-ts, means for securin f the inwardly-extending flange part lateral xed annular rimportion having an annular flange or shoulder for peripherally engaging the web portion in order to relieve the securing means of vertical shearing stresses, a detachable rim portion complementary to the fixed rim portion and having base and outwardly and inwardly-extending fiange parts, said inwardly-extending flange part adapted to engage the side of the web portion o posed to the side engaged by the first inwardly-extending flange part and to engage the outer edge of said shoulder or fiange carried by the fixed rim portion, the base part of the detachable rim portion having an annular shoulder or flange adapted to lap the annular shoulder or fiange of the fixed rim portion, the outwardly-extendin'g flange parts of the rim portions forming a tire-receiving channel, means secured to the inner faces of the base parts of said rim portions to provide bolt-receiving openings and said means secured to thelliase part of' the detachable rim portion providing openings extending substantially to the outer edge ofthe latter base part, bolts extending through said openings with threaded ends protruding from the openings in the detachable rim portion, and nuts engaging the threaded ends of said bolts outwardly of the outer edge of the base part of the detachable rim portion.

CHARLES sensuele Lewis FINE.

web portion, a fixed annular rim portion harofY 

